HD at 4yrs, what now?

[frenchie27]

I posted a couple of weeks ago about our beloved 4 legged son, Charlie, being recently diagnosed with hip dysplasia right after turning 4 yrs old late October. We are devastated.

I will shortly share with you the xrays. We have immediately taken actions such as helping him lose weight, and providing him with Glucosamine, etc. as suggested by the vet. He has already lost almost 10 lbs and seems to be doing a little better.

She prescribed Rymadil, but as you all are aware, it's horrible side effects are not good. So I have only given it to him when he overdoes it running and/or playing.

I am new to this. My baby is hurting and it is breaking my heart. I know that I can get the best advice thru this website. Please, all you experts on this subject, please tell me it will be okay and he will live a good long life.....He's like my child.

Thanks!!!

[GSDBESTK9]

How bad are they? Have you considered surgery?

[frenchie27]

They are both bad, but his right is worse. I am waiting on the xrays by email to share with you all. The vet says he is not bad enough for surgery, but I honestly don't know. I will perform surgery in a hearbeat, but she did say there are a lot of complications.

[GSDBESTK9]

Well, depending on the severity of the dysplasia, surgery might be your best option. Been there done that! Best decision I ever made. My rescued GSD had severe HD, had an FHO done at 10 months. She has lived a wonderful painless life after that and at 10 years old now, she is still going strong.

[jocoyn]

Was that one hip or two on the FHO?

I know when Cyra (different dog not OP) was diagnosed the ortho vet said don't to THR until she is so bad because it may not last her life (at 9 still no issues) but FHO was not a possibility due to bilateral HD. We are at 9 no real problems yet and it is severe by x-ray

[frenchie27]

Really? She was only 10 months? Wow. Did you have to have both hips replaced? How was the recup process?

[GSDBESTK9]

Nancy, she had a bilateral FHO done, both hips done at the same time.

FHO (Femoral Head Osteotomy) is not hip replacement, it is where they cut off the femoral head. The recup process was easy and fast, she was walking after 10 days (without help that is) and got better and better each day.

Way easier and faster (and way cheaper!) recup than when doing a THR (Total Hip Replacement).

[GSDBESTK9]

This is what her hips looked like:


This is her 2 days after surgery:

[frenchie27]

Oh ok, I thought you were talking about a total hip replacement. She did mention the FHO but for some reason didn't think it would help him. But, again, I am not so sure about this vet. First when I took him in the first time, she touched him and said it was arthritis, no tests done, THEN, I was not satisfied and did the xrays to only find the REAL issue.

[frenchie27]

@ GSDBESTk9 - how do you keep them still for 10 days?